When to discuss salary?

[Deleted member 651465]

Hey chaps,

I have an upcoming interview for a role which is much more local to me. However, my current role is already at the max of their advertised salary, so I'm looking to ask for top of the salary bracket.

Now, I was also told to never ask about salary in the 1st interview as it sends the wrong message, but at the same time I don't want to assume they'll bring it up before they send a contract (as they likely won't) and end up £3-4k short and have no way to renegotiate.

I have justification for asking for top salary (proven track record in multiple disciplines, exceeding the "desirable" traits in the job spec) but I'm not sure how best to approach it

Job is with local authority if that makes a difference.

 

[Jamesyboyjim]

Its always an awkward prospect, they may bring it up themselves in the interview, if not I probably wouldn't, perhaps if they offer you the job, that would be the time to ask, if not, then I'd expect the offered salary to be in the letter of job offer.

 

[Caged]

Bring it up anyway. If they balk then you haven't wasted time.

There's no reason for either side to keep up the pretence that you are working for anything other than money which you use to spend on other things for longer than is necessary.

If would be easier I guess if you were going through a recruiter because you could lay this all out early on.

 

[Basher]

There's nothing wrong with bringing up salary in the first interview. It would be a huge waste of time to go through interviews without knowing if the money is right. If anything, I'd want to know at least the expected ££ range before meeting with them - otherwise it might be a waste of everyones time.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Part of me thinks it must be something I can mention as they've clearly advertised a salary range but then the other part of me thinks I don't want to shoot myself in the balls by asking for top dollar in the interview.

Should I instead ask why they've advertised a salary bracket or ask if the salary is a banding system? I was thinking of bringing it up in the "any questions" part at the end. Something along the lines of "I see you've advertised a salary bracket, how does this work?"

This role is something that I really want as it'll save me 110 miles commuting every day and has 5x the progression opportunities, so I'm trying to approach it delicately.

 

[Caged]

Jesus that commute

 

[Akagi]

I don't really have anything to add, but I need to know how to approach this as well as I'm in a similar sort of boat... I'm about £1K off of top pay for my position, and want to get something more local, but the pay scale ranges from 5K less than I earn, up to 1K more. I do 127 miles a day combined and it is really pretty dire.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Its always an awkward prospect, they may bring it up themselves in the interview, if not I probably wouldn't, perhaps if they offer you the job, that would be the time to ask, if not, then I'd expect the offered salary to be in the letter of job offer.

Jesus that commute

Swansea to Newport every morning. The 5:30am alarm clock is starting to destroy me now and I've only done it for 4 years

I don't really have anything to add, but I need to know how to approach this as well as I'm in a similar sort of boat... I'm about £1K off of top pay for my position, and want to get something more local, but the pay scale ranges from 5K less than I earn, up to 1K more. I do 127 miles a day combined and it is really pretty dire.

If it's any help, I think I've settled on asking a question about salary at the end of the interview. If they're advertising a salary range then I feel its fair game... at least in my head.

 

[Slam62]

Don't bother about salary, you'll save money anyway and it's got better prospects.

Did you put current salary on application?

 

[Akagi]

In my situation I wouldn't be saving money as my mileage and travel time is subsidised, but thats a fair point if it isn't the same for you EVH. How much would you be saving in fuel/insurance/wear and tear/time?

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Don't bother about salary, you'll save money anyway and it's got better prospects.

Did you put current salary on application?

Yes, I believe it was a stipulation of the online application form.

My current job will rise another 5k due to banding, but I already exceed the maximum range that they're offering (effectively this will be 5k less over the next few years but I'm taking that on the chin for the location, progression etc)

In my situation I wouldn't be saving money as my mileage and travel time is subsidised, but thats a fair point if it isn't the same for you EVH. How much would you be saving in fuel/insurance/wear and tear/time?

I'd be saving 1hr 15mins each way (2hrs 30mins a day) in time, plus there's car servicing, wear and tear and £50 a week on diesel.

 

[Azza]

If it's any help, I think I've settled on asking a question about salary at the end of the interview. If they're advertising a salary range then I feel its fair game... at least in my head.

Is the salary range advertised within a couple of £k? Say - £42474 to £44217 ?

I assume since it's a LA the salary will be on spine points in the grade / band. I doubt you'd be able to exceed that salary unless you're amazing as it will have been signed off by HR, budget holders etc for a role at that specific position.

With £42,474 at the lowest point and £44,217 at the highest with a point or several in between. So you'd generally start on the lowest point and each year you'll progress to the next point.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Yes, it's advertised within a £3-5k range and I want the top of the range. Ideally, I'd want more but I appreciate that's never going to happen.

Happy to start mid-way on the scale (given that I far exceed their person spec), but can't afford to drop to the bottom if I'm honest.

 

[Akagi]

By doing the move you'd be saving yourself around £3K a year in travel costs, and well over 500 hours of travel time.

I'd say that alone is a big bonus. Even if you took a £3K - £4K hit you're in a better position than you were in IMO.

 

[Basher]

By doing the move you'd be saving yourself around £3K a year in travel costs, and well over 500 hours of travel time.

I'd say that alone is a big bonus. Even if you took a £3K - £4K hit you're in a better position than you were in IMO.

I'd focus more on why you think you deserve the top value (which it sounds like you are already), than trying to convince yourself that the bottom is acceptable.

 

[Akagi]

Was just putting it in perspective.

 

[datalol-jack]

If they bring it up, talk about it. If not, you can bring it up during your Q&A at the end or when an opportune moment strikes on a related tangent. During a multi-interview process, perhaps you can put it off for later; but then again, why proceed in the process if the money you're looking for isn't on the table and you're not desperate? Perks, base salary levels and increases are always harder to get right if they've got you on their terms and it's already in writing.

 

[sigma]

If they bring it up, talk about it. If not, you can bring it up during your Q&A at the end or when an opportune moment strikes on a related tangent. During a multi-interview process, perhaps you can put it off for later; but then again, why proceed in the process if the money you're looking for isn't on the table and you're not desperate? Perks, base salary levels and increases are always harder to get right if they've got you on their terms and it's already in writing.

This.

 

[dowie]

People usually recommend not mentioning salary or not giving a figure first partly because it can put you at a disadvantage in a negotiation and lead to you being low balled a bit - though in this instance you already know the range. Also employers tend to ask what you're earning in your current role these days, in this instance you already know you're at the top of their range so there isn't anything to hide or try to divert here.

I think, in this instance, if they bring it up then just be open with them. If they don't bring it up then it depends on whether you'd consider additional interviews to be a waste of your time - personally I think it is great to attend interviews regardless both as good practice and (hopefully if you're good) making a good impression on the interviewers for the future (whether they stay in that place or move on somewhere else in your industry) - it doesn't matter if there is only a small chance you'll accept the role, you're getting in practice and you're demonstrating your value to people who might cross paths with you in future. They're unlikely to simply offer you the job then send you a figure as you indicated in the OP - there ought to be a negotiation at some point in the process and if not then you reject the offer and state why. If you do see additional interviews as a waste of time or if they're hard to arrange then I don't see the harm in bringing it up at the end of the first interview if they've not mentioned it. You don't have to go into specifics but you could just highlight that you're aware of the range and you're already at the top of it.

 

[Josh]

I think with CS jobs if you are recruited externally you start on the bottom on the pay spine and that's it - I could be wrong but when I joined the MOD I asked about starting half way up the spine to bring me more in line with what I was earning and after many emails back and forth with HR, they couldn't match or start me on anything but the lowest spot on the spine, I was already a CS but with a different department. Things maybe different with other departments and externally recruited positions.

We used to get LA but only the London Jobs get that now.

I'd personally mention it after the interview in the Q&A, generally during the interview they stick to the structured competency based questions.